El Ser

Abstract

The theme of being (the reality or existence of things) is of great importance to the metaphysics of St. Thomas Aquinas. In fact, his philosophy is called the philosophy of being. We should distinguish between being as the existing thing (ens) and being in the sense of to be (esse). Our first concept is that of ens, being, but in our judgments we attain the being (esse) of things, however in a universal concept, but because of the collaboration of the senses, our intellect shares in the immediate intuition of existing things by the senses. Owing to the discovery of the real distinction in created things between their essence and their act of being Aquinas developed his doctine of the esse of things. The so called real distinction between the essence and existence of things is demonstrated by their contingent existence. Essence and existence constitute the existing real thing, and never occur separated from each other. God creates them together. In the perspective of creation being (esse) is the reality of all beings and the perfection of all perfections. The act of being is not extended, even if it is the being of a body; it exists in the present moment and is a point of rest in becoming.